Bioengineering symposium and 3D Biofabrication workshop
The Bioengineering symposium and workshop will be held on 2 and 3 November 2026, hosted by the Centre for Bioengineering and Nanomedicine, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Otago.
Join us in Dunedin for two days of insight and innovation at the intersection of engineering, medicine and translational science. The programme will showcase bioengineering and translational health technologies projects at Otago, with sessions featuring early-career researchers, postgraduate poster presentations, and an interactive panel discussion with industry experts exploring how bioengineering researchers can build interdisciplinary collaborations aligned with New Zealand's four national research pillars.
Supported by Aroa Biosurgery and DKSH Technology New Zealand.
Schedule
Download the Bioengineering symposium and 3D Biofabrication workshop Programme (PDF)
Day 1: Monday 2 November 2026
Welcome
| Time | Activity | Presenter(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 9:30–10:00am | Registration | n/a |
| 10:00–10:05am | Mihi whakatau | Mr Sam Carrington Associate Dean Māori, Faculty of Dentistry |
| 10:05–10:20am | Welcome and introduction | Associate Professor Megan Gibbons Professor William Levack |
| 10:20–10:30am | The Centre for Bioengineering and Translational Health Technologies (CBTHT) | Professor Azam Ali Centre for Bioengineering and Translational Health Technologies, Faculty of Dentistry |
Session 1: Showcasing Bioengineering@Otago
Chair: Professor Azam Ali
| 10:30–10:50am | Stimuli-responsive linkers and their applications in drug delivery systems | Associate Professor Allan Gamble School of Pharmacy and Pharmacology |
| 10:50–11:10am | Gold nanoparticles to target bacterial biofilms and modulate host responses | Associate Professor Daniel Pletzer Department of Microbiology and Immunology |
| 11:10–11:30am | How flat is too flat? Rethinking disease models in the era of personalised medicine | Professor Stephanie Hughes Department of Biochemistry |
| 11:30–11:50am | Advances in pulsed electric field technology for bioactive extraction and material development | Professor Indirawati Oey Department of Food Science |
| 11:50am–12:10pm | Phages: From lab to practice – challenges, opportunities, and formulation for effective deployment | Professor Craig Bunt Agricultural Innovation Programme, Department of Food Science |
| 12:10–12:30pm | Biofabrication to biomedical innovation: engineering tissue constructs and medical devices | Associate Professor Jaydee Cabral Centre for Bioengineering and Translational Health Technologies, Faculty of Dentistry |
Lunch break
| 12:30–1:30pm | Lunch break and poster viewing in G37 |
Session 2: Centre themes
Chair: Professor Azam Ali
| 1:30–2:00pm | Interactive session: Centre for Bioengineering and Translational Health Technologies theme activities and future opportunities: Themes: Regenerative Medicine, Biomaterials, Point of Care, Imaging, Nanomedicine | Professor Azam Ali Associate Professor Yusuf Cakmak Professor Tim Woodfield Professor Arlene McDowell Professor Anthony Butler |
Session 3: Translational Bioengineering
Chair: Professor Azam Ali
| 2:00–2:20pm | Simultaneous testing of anodized implants in three different anatomical sites in the Otago sheep model | Professor Warwick Duncan Sir John Walsh Research Institute, Faculty of Dentistry |
| 2:20–2:40pm | From measurement to prevention: engineering solutions for head impacts in sport | Professor Melanie Bussey School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences |
| 2:40–3:00pm | Synthetic biodegradable scaffold incorporating natural bioactive and small molecules to regenerate the diseased tissue | Professor Rajesh Katare Department of Physiology |
Afternoon tea
| 3:20–4:00pm | Afternoon tea break and poster viewing in G37 |
Session 4: R&E and industry panel
Chair: Dr Sam Heenan, Research and Enterprise
| 4:00–4:30pm | Robert Veale Dr John Hale John Williamson Nour Ghamri |
Posters and networking session (G37)
| 4:30pm | Posters and details of poster competition are listed on page 6. The best poster presentation will be awarded first prize of $200, thanks to Aroa Biosurgery. The runner–up will win a new Bioengineering hoodie. Bioengineering information session for undergraduate and postgraduate research students. Drinks and nibbles provided. |
Day 2: Tuesday 3 November 2026
Welcome back
| Time | Activity | Presenter(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00–10:00am | Welcome back | Professor Paul Cooper Head of Faculty, Faculty of Dentistry |
Session 5: Bioengineering@Otago PG & ECR session
Chair: Associate Professor Jaydee Cabral
| 9:10–9:20am | Environmental microbial colonisation of laser-structured superhydrophobic metal surfaces | Connie Robinson (BSc (Hons) candidate) Department of Microbiology and Immunology |
| 9:20–9:30am | Bioengineered surgical membrane with integrated antibacterial nanoparticles | Ghsaq Alhamdani (PhD candidate) SJWRI, Faculty of Dentistry |
| 9:30–9:40am | Fabrication of lipid nanoparticles for systemic delivery of miR-126 mimics and anti-miR-34a to mitigate diabetes-induced atherosclerosis and diabetic cardiomyopathy in vivo | Dineth Palihaderu (PhD candidate) Department of Physiology |
| 9:40–9:50am | Engineering conductive bioscaffolds with miRNA-loaded lipid nanoparticles for cardiac regeneration | Jekhan Saravanan (PhD candidate) Department of Chemistry |
| 9:50–10:00am | Ultrasensitive electrochemical detection of eccDNA based on hybridization with a network of gold-coated magnetic nanoparticles | Xinjie Zhou (PhD candidate) Department of Chemistry |
| 10:00–10:10am | Engineering an epithelial barrier model for drug transport through the round window membrane of the cochlea | Dr Mina Rajabi (Early Career Researcher) Department of Oral Rehabilitation, Faculty of Dentistry |
The best presentation from an Otago postgraduate student or early-career researcher in session 5 will be awarded first prize of $200, thanks to DKSH. The runner-up will win a new Bioengineering hoodie.
| 10:10–10:20am | Building a career in MedTech: Insights from a Bioengineering graduate | Hanna Jacobs-Grant Senior Robotics Clinical Specialist, Medtronic | PGDip Bioengineering alumna |
| 10:20–10:30am | AROA ECM™: A New Zealand case study in biomaterial commercialisation | Robert Veale Corporate Development Manager, Aroa Biosurgery |
Morning tea break
| 10:30–10:50am | Morning tea break and poster viewing in G37 |
Session 6: Bioengineering across health and medicine
Chair: Associate Professor Yusuf Cakmak
| 10:50–11:10am | Drug eluting textile wrap for the treatment of intimal hyperplasia | Dr Jo Krysa Department of Surgery and Critical Care |
| 11:10–11:30am | Development of a silicate-substituted bovine-derived hydroxyapatite scaffold for dental regenerative applications | Dr Jithendra Ratnayake Department of Oral Rehabilitation, Faculty of Dentistry |
| 11:30–11:50am | Electrophysiology in an age of high-throughput neuroscience | Dr Owen Jones Department of Psychology |
| 11:50am–12:10pm | From teeth to bone: dentin- and tooth-derived grafts as emerging biomaterials in regenerative dentistry | Dr Stéphane Derruau Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne |
| 12:10–12:30pm | Electrochemical sensors and biosensors for biomedical and food analysis | Dr Yanfang Wu Department of Chemistry |
Lunch break
| 12:30–1:30pm | Lunch break and poster viewing in G37 |
Symposium wrap-up and awards presentation
Chairs: Professor Azam Ali, Associate Professor Jaydee Cabral
| 1:30–2:00pm | Symposium wrap-up and awards presentation |
3D Biofabrication workshop/training and laboratory tour
Lead: Associate Professor Jaydee Cabral
| 2:00–4:00pm | 3D Biofabrication workshop (NZ$75 fee) |
How to attend
Dunedin: Blue Lecture Theatre and Walsh Building Seminar Room G:37, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Otago
Christchurch: Zoom Link
Wellington and off campus: Zoom link
Registration
Registrations have closed.